"Simon was known for his Brit wit, his raconteur style," Palmer said Monday. "(He was) everything that you would expect from someone who had a love of language and made his life as a journalist."

Hoggart was the Guardian's daily humorous parliamentary sketchwriter for the last 20 years, according to the newspaper, and wrote a popular Saturday column.

Hoggart also penned 17 books and wrote for numerous publications, including the New York Times and the Washington Post.

Former prime minister Tony Blair described Hoggart's death as a "very sad moment for U.K. journalism."

"Simon was an outstanding commentator and writer with extraordinary wit, humour and insight," Blair said, as reported by the Guardian. "My deepest condolences and sympathy to all his family."

'These people are irreplaceable'

In Boulder, Hoggart appeared on panels at the CWA about Shakespeare, education, pop culture, food and wine, and more, Palmer said.

Palmer chuckled to himself when Monday morning, while going back through old CWA programs, he read the name of one of Hoggart's final panels at the conference.

In 2011, Hoggart spoke on the CWA panel titled "Everything Sounds Smarter and Sexier With a British Accent," which couldn't have been a more fitting way to remember Hoggart, Palmer said.

Palmer also thought back to the many trips he took to London, when he and Hoggart would meet at a pub and share a pint "or two," Palmer said. No matter how busy he was, Hoggart always made time to see Palmer, he said.

Film critic Roger Ebert, Hoggart's longtime friend and fellow CWA participant, died last April, and Palmer said it's been tough losing such prominent members of the CWA community.

"These people are irreplaceable," Palmer said. "They have given so much to the conference and to the community, the wide community of the Conference on World Affairs. It's hard to lose these regulars, these veterans who have been so front and center at the conference."

'He lived well and died well'

In all, CWA spokesman Bryan New said Hoggart had attended 19 conferences since 1988. His final conference was in 2012, New said. Hoggart was also a speaker at the 2004-2005 CWA Athenaeum, which brings various distinguished guests to Boulder throughout the academic year leading up to the week-long conference in April.

Palmer said it was too early to tell whether the conference would find a way to publicly honor Hoggart, but added that organizers will "figure something out" to remember him at this year's event, set for April 7-11.

"He made very specific commitments and efforts to make the CWA every year that he could," Palmer said. "He came even in the midst of his cancer, and we were happy to see him. He continued working. He was writing in December, so he lived well and died well, if that's possible."

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